Great Britain make hockey history by beating Netherlands in dramatic final

By Rio 2016 19/08/2016 19H03

Team GB defeat world champions in penalty shoot-out to secure first ever Olympic Games gold medal

Great Britain make hockey history by beating Netherlands in dramatic final — The British are coming: Team GB run towards Hollie Webb after she secures gold in the penalty shoot-out (Photo: Getty Images/Mark Kolbe)

Great Britain stunned the top-ranked Netherlands in a shoot-out to win its first-ever gold medal in women's hockey on Friday evening (18 August) in Rio de Janeiro.

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The Dutch were trying to become the first nation to win three consecutive hockey gold medals, but instead it was the first time any player on the team has lost an Olympic match, with their last defeat coming in the Athens 2004 final.

British match-winner Hollie Webb said: "I don't think I can really put it into words yet. It hasn't really sunk in. I don't really know what's happened. I'm just so proud of all the girls that played tonight."

Hollie Webb scores the decisive goal for Team GB (Photo: Getty Images/Mark Kolbe)

Webb added: "I'm so proud to be British. So proud to be a part of Team GB. If that just inspired anyone to pick up a hockey stick, any age, any gender, anyone can get involved, then our job has been done."

The score was 3-3 at the end of normal time, during which the Netherlands had outshot Britain 17-7.

In the shoot-out, goalkeeper Maddie Hinch was Great Britain's match-winner, crowning an outstanding performance by saving all four of Netherlands' attempts to score.

Helen Richardson-Walsh opened the scoring for Great Britain in the shoot-out from a penalty stroke after opposition goalkeeper Joyce Sombroek took Sophie Bray out, before Webb netted the team's fifth attempt to give Britain an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the best-of-five shoot-out.

"It does not feel real at all," said Hinch. "What a beautiful medal. This is what dreams are made of. What more can I say?"

Sam Quek leads the Britain team's celebration at the Olympic Hockey Arena (Getty Images/ Mark Kolbe)

The men's and the women's hockey medal matches produced high drama with two penalty shoot-outs and one last minute goal to seal victory Photo: (Rio 2016/Alexandre Vidal)
Argentina won the men's hockey Olympic gold for the first time with a 4-2 victory over Belgium Photo: (Rio 2016/Alexandre Vidal)
Belgium were pushing for an equaliser right until the dying seconds but Agustin Mazzilli intercepted the ball and sealed victory at the death for Argentina Photo: (Rio 2016/Alexandre Vidal)
The goal sparked wild celebrations on and off the pitch as Argentina fans have travelled in huge numbers to Rio 2016 Photo: (Rio 2016/Alexandre Vidal)
Great Britain won a dramatic penalty shoot-out against world champions, the Netherlands in the women's gold medal match Photo: (Getty Images/Mark Kolbe)
Hollie Webb scored the fifth and decisive penalty past goalkeeper Joyce Sombroek to win the shoot-out 2-0 Photo: (Getty Images/Tom Pennington)
The two teams created an enthralling 3-3 final that saw Great Britain break the deadlock before the Netherlands twice took the lead but were pegged back in the final quarter Photo: (Getty Images/Tom Pennington)
Germany had earlier won the women's bronze medal match by beating New Zealand 2-1 Photo: (Getty Images/Tom Pennington)
And their male compatriots also finished with bronze medals courtesy of a dramatic 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory over the Netherlands after a 1-1 draw in normal time Photo: (Getty Images/Pascal Le Segretain)